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By Jerry Finkelstein

I've been reminded lately that some of my favorite electronic/computer stuff is on their way to extinction. In particular, I was advised at the last Trapp computer show to purchase now, like today, a VHS recorder while the prices of these video machines are at rock bottom. DVD is quickly taking over and it won't be long before VHS joins company with the dodo bird. I was told I would be able to find VHS recorders in the future, but at what cost?

78 rpm and 331/3 records had decent life spans. I still own quite a few long playing records, still play them. However, I now take better care of the turntable. 8-track tapes and 45 records were short lived. Does anyone still buy cassettes?

I came to PCs when the 5.25 floppy was giving way to the 3.5 inch disk. I opted for the new "floppy" storage format. With my next PC I added a Zip drive. Have you noticed that ads for new PCs no longer entice you with Zip drive technology? One writer writes that there are CD-ROMs that don't work on any operating system anyone uses anymore.

The pop music and movie industries are doing huge business; in fact they never had it so good, thanks in large part to CD and DVD sales. But all is temporary. Waiting in the wings is DVD+RW. More dismantling of the PC and your entertainment system? More of what John Dvorak calls, dead media? Will any of these contemporary media be around twenty years from today? Some of this stuff didn't last ten.

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